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Feeling like there is nothing but misery on this earth...
Dennis Vogel:
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
"Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day... 22,000 children die each day due to poverty..."
http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
IMO, this planet is one big cesspool of misery. Even the small percentage of us who escape poverty still suffer.
But there are an even a smaller percentage who live easy lives, enjoy their grandchildren, etc., then die peacefully in their sleep. Perhaps God puts them here for the rest of us to envy?
If you are called in this life then you will have to "endure" unto the end. But for a purpose:
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:
Dave in Tenn:
Did Eve and Adam eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of Evil? I don't think so. There's the knowledge of both GOOD and EVIL in the fruit. I've seen happy poor people and miserable well-off people. Which one is experiencing GOOD and which one EVIL?
Php 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
Php 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
Did Paul know only how to to be abased, hungry, and suffering?
I recognize that this life is an experience of evil WHEREBY to humble us. But the same book talks about a good life...it just may be that having it ALL good doesn't play the same role in humbling us.
2Co 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Did Paul have the thorn without the revelations? Did he only have weakness and no 'strength being made perfect'? Did he take NO PLEASURE in infirmities, reproaches, necessities, persecutions, and distresses? Was he only weak and never strong? Did he never rejoice, or always?
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Isa 26:10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
Are God's judgments only evil/unfavourable? Are they evil/unfavourable at all?
Can favour be shown to the just, and he will deal justly?
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
I know we have just an earnest/down-payment of the Spirit. But if we don't have so much as a little of all that, then we don't have so much as a little of His Spirit. Abounding or abased, this is the character that God is or will be creating in us. I just want to get onboard and yoked up.
Just me talking, but when I first came to B-T, it was a REBIRTH of optimism and faith from despair and cynicism. My first thought on believing the Salvation of all wasn't "Thank God all these pesky other people are going to be brought up to my level." Instead it was, "Thank God. That means I'm going to be saved too." That faith and optimism has waxed and waned over the years since, and been tried many times. (Truth be told, a fair number of those trials have occurred right here on ye olde BT Forum. Sometimes its been wisdom, and sometimes not.) I just want to be right on the inside, no matter what the outside circumstance may be. Man, even the world envies that.
GaryK:
Understandable Dave. My experience when coming to BT was more of a birth than re-birth. Like taking an old coat off (church doctrines) and sewing a new one to wear (seeing scripture in a different view and understanding). I think God likes human yo-yo's. Since first stepping into the BT world it's been an up and down coaster. Too often I do wonder if I'm the rock too heavy for God to lift. But then again, I suppose to find the precious minerals one must split the rock. The mustard seed parable is becoming more and more enlightening, and perhaps understandable. Many good things can come from something so small, but to be perfect, it will take an enourmous amount of time and pruning.
Dennis:
--- Quote --- "Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day... 22,000 children die each day due to poverty..."
--- End quote ---
We should be so thankful for the smallest of wonders like: clean water pumped into a house, a house to live in, warm air in the winters, cool air in the summer, and on and on. And freedom.
Dave in Tenn:
Yes, Gary. I'm also glad to be free of all that Christian doctrine...to the extent I am. Every 'revelation' since then has added to that. And every pull back to it has lessened it as well.
And maybe its cynicism creeping back in, but I hear familiar voices murmuring in my head reading your list of things to be thankful for and seeing the 'evil' side of them.
No to pick on Jace, but he's a young man. Lord willing, he'll have a longer life of opportunity than a broke-down old coot like me ahead of him. Freedom FROM is certainly a great blessing, but freedom TO is better. What is he going to DO about all the evil he sees? I hope it isn't just 'feel', moan, blog, and comment on Yahoo news articles.
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